


Among the Artificial Stars

by NinjaGirlStar5



Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game), Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)
Genre: (implied anyway) - Freeform, (quietly and awkwardly nudges this fic towards the AHiT fandom), 3rd Limited POV, Dave dealing with long-term isolation, Dave is not having a good time, Dave's POV, Gen, Government Supported Private Investigator Ending | GSPI (Henry Stickmin), Hat Girl and Hat Kid are the same person, Hat talks about violence and possible injury but it's brushed over, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Neither is Hat but we only see a sliver of it, No Beta, References past violence, Some characters are mentioned but aren't tagged, Swearing, Technically a Crossover, There's a bit of a depressing vibe to it ngl, platonic friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:34:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27747580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NinjaGirlStar5/pseuds/NinjaGirlStar5
Summary: Dave has been stuck in his cell for a very long time. So long that he has a difficult time remembering what the outside world was like.At least his friendship with Hat has helped distract him, but upon finding out about his foggy memories of the stars, she decides to bring him a gift.
Relationships: Dave Panpa & Hat Girl (Henry Stickmin)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	Among the Artificial Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Haha, Hat and Dave friendship go brrrrr.
> 
> For Sticktober Day 22 - Stargazing.

If Dave had to be honest with himself, he was starting to lose any sense of time in his cell.

Sure, he can ask any Toppats that pass by for the date and if they were feeling generous they would tell him. But knowing the date was a lot more different than actually having a clock telling him what time it is or looking outside the window to check if it was night or day. It was different when he had control over what he could do to pass the time at home or at work. When he didn’t have to stare at his ceiling and try to count down the minutes as he resists the urge to carve into the metal with his own nails. To have something to do.

(He was given crayons from a generous Toppat but even those don't last forever.)

But in his cell, there were only the footsteps of people coming and going from above his dark and lonely prison that gave any hints of time moving forward. Sometimes the lights would go out or come on automatically with those steps, leaving him in the dark on what time it was on his best days. As he slowly crumbled away behind the steel door, his body becoming weaker and his hair becoming longer, time marched on. It marched on as he found more and more gray strands of hair. It marched on without him and with that, his memories of the outside world becoming foggier and messier.

And as much as he tries to dream of clear skies and warm suns, Dave could only remember blues and whites blurring together like a painter haphazardly pouring the colors onto a canvas and the feeling of nothingness. Nothing but the feeling of cold metal and remembering the red walls of his cells. And the thought of lacking any sort of memory of the outside world scared him. He was forgetting how it felt to be warm, to feel the breeze against his face and when he would spend time just staring at the fluffy clouds that would slowly roll on by in the sky.

The cold, unforgivable metal of the bench was becoming familiar and normal, which only amplified the feeling of dread that accompanied the grogginess of sleep. Dave kept his eyes closed, trying to put off getting up to another day of...nothing. Of just sitting in his cell and listening to the Toppats walking past him, often ignoring his existence and that was, arguably, on his good but mediocre days. God, the thought of lacking human interaction being preferable still baffled him but he’d rather take silence over another beating for something he didn’t do.

It only happened once, but that day was definitely the worst of the treatment he’s experienced and he’d much rather not go through something similar again.

Eventually, though, he had to get up. He had to at least stick to a routine to keep his spirits up and sometimes the Toppats talked loudly as they walked between holding cells to wherever their destination was. Dave felt bad for eavesdropping but at least their gossip was something else to focus on and he felt a little bit included by listening in. As he sits up on the bench, he rubs his hands together to put some warmth into it.

“Okay, Dave...you’re...you’re still alive! That’s good…” Dave mutters to himself, trying to cling to any semblance of hope he still had by giving himself a pep talk. His spark of optimism was starting to fizzle out though, despite his attempts to keep it lit. “You have a place to sleep. It’s cold but it’s something! You also have a toilet and a sink. It’s not much but it’s something…” He gulps, glancing at the cell door as his stomach growls. “And...they’re still giving me food...”

As if on cue, the sound of a door slides open and Dave tenses. The sound was much closer, meaning that it was the door on his floor on his left that had opened up. Which meant that they were bringing in his food now, but it also meant that he had to deal with whatever mood the Toppat is in. Recently, they seem to have been taking out their frustration on him and he had overheard that their Chief had been arrested along with his Right Hand Man. Which he had nothing to do with but apparently they had decided he was an easy target to let their emotions out on.

Dave gulps as his hands brush against his neck. He watches the window, waiting for any sign of a Toppat he was somewhat familiar with and hopes it was one of the friendlier ones. Even though most of them seemed to be pissed at him as well, they at least were more gentler when handing over his food. He’d rather deal with their glares than any other sneering Toppat that hated his guts. Still, he could barely keep his shaking to a minimum as he clutches his hands together in an effort to stop.

But it all melts away the moment he sees the top of a small purple top hat come into view. And as if to wash away any lingering doubts, he sees the sleeve of a purple trench coat appear through the window as the Toppat playfully knocks on his cell door.

“Goooood morning, Dave! Time to get up! I brought breakfast!” A young, teasing voice of a girl greeted his ears and Dave couldn’t help but feel his tense shoulders relax in relief. Most of the Toppat Clan may blame him for their missing leader (that he had nothing to do with) but at least Hat was still all too happy to talk with him. He gets up from the bench as a panel opens up, allowing the teenage Toppat to carefully slide in a tray of food. It was a simple bowl of oatmeal and a cup of orange juice but Hat wasn’t done. She also sneaks in some bacon wrapped up in napkins and some candy as well - a Hershey bar this time. It was only then that the panel closed and Dave walked over with shaky legs, stray pieces of paper being pushed to the side in the process. As he sits down on the floor to eat the generous offer of food, Hat attempts to pull herself up so Dave could actually make eye contact with her through the window. “Like it? I had to sneak some away from the kitchen.”

“Yeah...Yeah, I do.” Dave didn’t stop himself from sounding as tired, desperate and grateful as he was. Hat didn’t judge or taunt him for it like some of the other meaner Toppats. She simply gave him a small smile as he carefully unwrapped the bacon from the napkin. “Since when did you get back?” He asked, considering that Hat would’ve usually dropped by as soon as she was on the airship. The teenager’s visits were often few and far in-between as she was always on some sort of adventure for a heist or visiting another distant division to do whatever mission needed done.

Dave wasn’t sure how to feel about a young teenager like Hat going on dangerous heists but she didn’t seem to mind at all. And if the stories of her adventures had even a smidgen of truth to it (which was still horrifying to know that a literal _child_ went through all that), this was pretty much Hat’s life. She wouldn’t just sit around and let the adults around her handle it all on their own. The Toppat would _much rather_ be a part of the danger than be left out.

This doesn’t really make him feel any better at the thought of Hat being on the frontlines. How would the police - or even the _Government_ \- react to that? Probably not good, to put it broadly.

“Last night. I was pretty tired so I kinda laid down on my bed and just knocked myself out.” Hat said with a shrug as Dave takes a bite out of his bacon. “Sorry, but I don’t have any puzzles for you today.” He nods. The ex-security guard kind of figured as much, since the thirteen-year-old would’ve handed it over with his food. He always liked it when she snuck in something for him to entertain himself, whether it was a rubix cube or a puzzle book she had found during a heist. With almost nothing to do, having something that kept his brain busy really helped keep his spirits up and distracted him from whatever depressing thoughts that lingered in the background of his mind.

“That’s okay. It’d be nice if you could get me some more paper and a fresh box of crayons.” Dave replied after swallowing his food. The papers he had scattered about on the floor had been filled with drawings for weeks now and the crayons were starting to wear thin. He takes a sip of water to quench his parched throat as Hat gives him a thumbs up.

“Sure thing. Just give me your drawings and crayons and I’ll get some more later.” Dave did what he was told, pausing his eating to gather his drawings and the box of crayons that laid nearby. The panel opens again and Hat’s small, thin hands reach out for the items and he hands them to her. (She was so small that it baffled him that she could defeat a grown man in combat.) The drawings and crayons disappear on the other side and the panel closes. As Dave sits back down to continue eating, he can hear her putting away his stuff and he spoke.

“So, what kind of adventure did you go on this time?” He asked. Hat appears by the window again with a large grin appearing on her face. She smushed it against the window, clearly delighted to be asked.

“Oh, you will not _believe_ the chaos that happened!” Hat said, excitement dripping from her voice as she jumps up and down in glee. Her eagerness to start her story was infectious as Dave smiled and leaned back to listen. As she spun her tale of a dangerous heist in a snowy climate, he could feel himself being pulled into it.

Hearing her stories always kept him from thinking too hard about his predicament, a distraction from reality. It helped him escape from the despair that threatened to crush him the longer he stayed in his cell. And the way she told her stories with enthusiasm and animated hands, it made him feel invested in what happened next.

“And then! The guard tried to restrain Icepick but I dumped a bucket of water on him before he could.” Dave coughs out a laugh as he imagined the poor guard shivering in the snowy weather. He felt a little bad about laughing but he couldn’t help himself since it was a ridiculous idea. “You should’ve seen him! He looked like an ice cube! Icepick had a clean getaway after that.” Hat had this smug grin on her face, clearly very pleased with herself.

“What happened to the bucket? Where did you even get the water?” He couldn’t help but ask. He was pretty sure the water would’ve been frozen solid if it’s been out there for long.

“I think they were melting some ice? It was next to a heater so maybe they wanted some clean water for something.” Hat simply shrugged in response. “I tossed the bucket down at the guard for good measure. I think there were some...damage? He was dragged away with his co-workers, so I’m sure he’s fine.” She shrugged again. It was kind of obvious that she was leaving out some details but Dave didn’t mind. As much as he enjoyed her stories, Dave preferred not knowing every single thing that happened. He was dealing with enough as is.

“It must’ve been nice up there. I mean, it was probably really cold but the snow was probably pretty.” Dave only saw snow once or twice while growing up in West Mesa. It was almost always desert out there with lots of sand, rocky terrain and a sun relentlessly beating down on the hottest of days.

…He knew what the sun was like but he could barely remember how it felt now. Even if he had to remain in his cell, it’d be nice if he had a window to look out from. So he could see the sun in the sky, feel its warmth through the window and have some sort of connection to the outside world.

(God, his family must be worried sick by now. He wondered if his sisters were alright. He wondered if everyone was still looking for him. He wondered if his co-workers asked about him. He wondered if Rupert even remembers him…)

“I mean, yeah, it was cold. But I think snow and ice is overrated.” Dave was pulled out of his fuzzy memories and made eye contact with Hat, who looked like she was being reminded of something unpleasant. “Like, it’s neat but I’m not a fan.” She then lights up like a Christmas tree, as if she just remembered something. “But I _did_ catch a glimpse of the northern lights!”

“Northern lights? Like an aurora?” Dave asked, leaning forward a little as he takes a spoonful of his oatmeal. Hat nods eagerly.

“Yeah! They were _really_ pretty. It didn’t last too long and I had to go back to base so I couldn’t stick around to watch. But it was really cool, like waves of greens and purples and aquas…” Hat trails off, her eyes darting over at Dave. Her smile falters a little but she speaks before he could ask what’s wrong. “You would’ve loved to see it.” He swallows his food as he tries to imagine what the aurora looks like. He was imagining some sort of ocean of colors falling from the night sky but Dave knew that wasn’t quite right. He knew what an aurora looked like from pictures he’s seen online but his memory was currently failing him right now.

God, his mind was a mess.

“Yeah...Yeah, I wish I could go see it.” Dave said quietly, picking at his food as his spoon clinks against the bowl. He barely even touched it, now that he thought about it.

“...Okay, what’s wrong?” Hat asked and Dave nearly jolts at the sudden question. Making eye contact with her again, he realizes that she’s frowning with her eyebrows curled up in concern. Gulping and trying not to lick at his dry lips, he sets down his spoon and taps his knee in thought.

Hat was a very kind person, despite working for a criminal organization. She was always expressing concern for Dave whenever he was down in the dumps and always made time to hang out with him whenever she was around. Her friendship helped... _distract_ him from his current predicament. But he didn’t really like dumping all of his problems on top of her tiny shoulders. She was doing so much at such a young age that it didn’t feel right burdening her with his issues. An adult like him should be supporting _her_ , not the other way around.

And yet, when she stared at him with such a caring, supportive gaze, it was hard not to open up just a little bit. Even when she can’t do anything, Hat was always willing to hear him out. It was something Dave desperately needed when he rarely had any positive human interactions since his imprisonment aside from those few nicer Toppats. (One even pitied him enough to bring him some toothpaste and a toothbrush.) And even then they had turned cold the moment their two most important members got arrested. But Hat was... _consistent._ Even when she faltered, Hat always sprung back up with understanding and unconditional kindness for a prisoner like him. And now, she was offering to hear him out, like usual. So he at least wanted to talk to her about it rather than bottle it all up. He didn’t have anyone else to turn to anyways.

“I’m...not doing too well. I mean…” Dave trails off as he tries to explain how he was feeling. Hat leaned her forehead against the window, humming patiently. Or maybe impatiently. He can’t tell what’s going on in her head sometimes since she’s always bouncing off of her feet, eager to move and do something. “My memories have been kinda…off.”

“Off?” Hat scratches her head in confusion. He nodded in affirmation.

“Yeah. Like...I’m slowly forgetting stuff. I’m forgetting how warm the sun is or how the wind feels against my face. I barely even remember what the sky looks like or how the grass feels or…” He stops when he realizes how... _trivial_ all this was. Just forgetting these small, seemingly insignificant things seems so minor and yet…

Being in this cell was messing with his mind, making him lose touch with the outside world. He’s been isolated for so long that he was starting to forget how these trivial things _felt_ , how normal it was to feel the sun on his face almost always whenever he wanted. And it was a... _depressing_ feeling that weighed heavily on his shoulders.

“...I’m sorry.” He looks up upon hearing Hat’s quiet voice, noticing that she had moved away from the window. He could imagine her with her back facing the door and Dave just smiled to himself as he forced down another bite of oatmeal.

“It’s okay, Hat. None of this is your fault.” Dave reassured as softly as he could. He could hear her sigh but didn’t say anything else. “That was kinda depressing, huh? I mean...it’d be nice if I could see the stars or something but…well, I’m stuck here.” He pauses, waiting for Hat to say something but receives no response. But she hadn’t left though - Hat had to take the tray back after he was done and he could still see her top hat through the window. So Dave just sighs to himself as he picks the bowl clean, finishes off the bacon and slowly downs the rest of his orange juice. Picking up the Hershey bar to eat for later, he knocks on the door to let Hat know he was done. She seems to jolt at that but she immediately understood the gesture and opened up the panel. Dave sets the tray with the empty dishes down onto her outstretched palms and the tray is gone with the panel closing up soon after. He was about to say goodbye when Hat spoke up:

“...I’ll figure out a way.”

“Huh?” Dave tilts his head in confusion as Hat’s face comes into view, albeit barely. She was probably on her tippy toes but couldn’t pull herself up entirely with the tray in her hands. Her eyes were soft but determined.

“I’ll find a way to get you to see the stars.” Hat explained. Before Dave could ask what she meant by that, the voice of an angry man called out.

“Hat!! I need you in the briefing room!” The man with the Swedish accent said. Hat groaned but looked up at the walkway.

“Coming!” She yelled out. Dave hears her knocking against the door as her way of saying goodbye before disappearing entirely out of view. He hears the door slide open and close, leaving him back in his dark, lonely cell. He sighs as he leaned his head against the door, already missing his friend.

He wished these moments would last just a little longer…

* * *

Dave was sleeping on the bench when the cell was suddenly flooded with light. He groans in dismay as he cracks his eyes open with his hand attempting to block out the light. He barely got a word in when something hits him in the chest and he grunts, instinctively wrapping his arms around the object. The ex-security guard tried to blink away the grogginess of his extremely uncomfortable sleep as he tried to comprehend the object in his hands.

It was then that Dave realized it was a light purple bag with a violet hourglass symbol stitched on it.

“Heeeeey, Dave! I’m baaack~.” A low, childish voice said in a whisper and it took him way too long for him to realize it was Hat, standing in the doorway and covering the toilet with a giant quilt with a grimace. She leaves for a brief moment as Dave tries to comprehend what the hell was happening just when the lights go out and Hat returns to the cell with the door still wide open.

“...Hat?” Dave said dumbly as he stared at her. Hat was wearing a lilac and purple oversized shirt with long sleeves, sweatpants and matching slippers. The usual top hat she wore was gone but her hair was still in its usual ponytail, albeit a little bit messy now. Hat just grinned at him as she took the bag out of his arms.

“The one and only!” Hat said, opening up the bag and digging through it. He watched as she started pulling out a bunch of blankets and tossing it over him, one even landing right on top of his head. (He forgot how warm blankets can be.) His eyes had started to adjust to the darkness just as Hat turned to look at him. “Hungry? I stole some snacks during my heist today. Got a pretty good haul, even if I had to send some of my valuables to the vault.”

“I...Why are you here…?” Dave couldn’t help but ask. Yeah, Hat drops by at least once a day if she was on the airship but she never came by during the middle of the night. Let alone with so much...stuff. As if to confuse him even more, Hat turns the bag upside down and a seemingly unending pile of pillows flowed out of the bag until she pulled it back up once she was satisfied with the amount.

“Isn’t it obvious? We’re hanging out! Right now.” She answered, trying to sound casual but there was a tinge of excitement to it that made Dave raise an eyebrow. It made him suspect that she had something planned but had no idea what it could be. Still, the young teenager’s company was always appreciated and he wasn’t going to turn her away now. Even if it was in the middle of the night.

Besides, the blankets were nice, warm, and fluffy while the pillows looked like the softest things he has ever laid eyes on. He was definitely going to try and worm a pillow away from Hat, if she’d allow it.

“Well...I don’t mind. It’s just very sudden.” Dave yawned as he started to take off his shoes in favor of setting his socked feet on top of the pillows. And as expected, the pillows were soft as clouds and he welcomed the new sense of touch. A cold, metal cell with no windows of the outside world was all he knew for a long while now. “What did you bring?” Hat gave him another grin as she pulled out a couple of snacks along with different kinds of soda.

“I brought chips, candy bars, rice Krispies, candy and some trail mix with M&Ms that I stole from Geoffrey - don’t tell him that I took it.” Hat sets the snacks down on top of the pillows and gestures to them as if she was offering him a banquet. He snorts a little before taking the rice Krispy bar and a Pepsi can. Hat takes the chips and an orange crush can before stuffing the rest of her snacks into her bag that looks too small to carry all the stuff she brought into the cell. “Good choice, good choice! Now help me make a pillow fort.” Dave was just about to open up his soda when he got hit with a pillow. With a laugh, he sets his snacks to the side and helps Hat make her pillow fort.

Despite only having the bench to work with and the sink and covered up toilet feeling more like obstacles in the small cell, they had managed to stack a bunch of pillows on top of each other without it falling apart. Unfortunately, when they tried to put a blanket across the tower of pillows, it had toppled over like a stack of cards. But neither of them cared, Dave laughing as Hat playfully screamed as they got buried underneath the pillows. By the time Dave had popped his head out of the pile, Hat had picked up a pillow and started hitting him with it. He was quick to defend himself in the escalating pillow fight but of course, Hat had won when she managed to move around him and tackle him from behind. Dave yelps when he lands on the floor, thanking the many soft, cloud-like pillows that had softened his fall. He attempts to get up but the teenager sitting on his back refuses to budge and despite her surprisingly light weight, Dave couldn’t bring himself to get up. He lets out a playful sigh before burying his head into a pillow.

“Okay, okay...you win.” Dave said with a grin. Hat laughs a little as she pats his head before finally getting off of him. Sitting up, he grabs a blanket and wraps himself up in it with a smile, burying his face into it’s soft fabric. He could tell that he was gonna sleep well tonight. Hat was humming to herself as she picked up her bag, sitting down in the pile of pillows. Dave tilts his head at the bag. “Do you have something else in there?” Hat grins.

“Oh, you bet I do!” Hat said, picking up Dave’s soda and handing it over to him. He takes it and finally opens up the can since he figured Hat was done being energetic. At least to the point that she wouldn’t be starting any more pillow fights. “When I found this, I _knew_ I had to show you this, damn the consequences.”

“Language.” Dave said automatically, although he wasn’t mad about it and was more curious about what she got. Let alone that she had gotten something for... _him._ She had mentioned a heist earlier but he wasn’t expecting her to show one of her valuables, let alone give him one. Hat tended to be tight-lipped about the heists to a certain degree because the Toppat Clan needed their secrecy and anonymity. Which saddened him that she wouldn’t divulge those details to him but Dave understood why. He was a prisoner and thus, an enemy. Which meant that Hat couldn’t tell him about everything that happens during their super important heists, including what they stole. It’d be like revealing your deep, dark secrets to someone you know was untrustworthy.

Which...hurt a little. But Dave had to remind himself that they were technically on opposite sides of the law so of course she was going to be secretive every now and then. They may be friends but her loyalties were always with the Toppat Clan.

And yet…

Hat snaps her fingers in front of Dave’s face and he jumps in surprise.

“Earth to Dave! Pay attention cause I’m about to reveal the _greatest gift_ ever.” Hat dramatically exclaimed, having her bag upside down again but this time it was set directly on top of the floor. She looked like she was ready to reveal something special to him and Dave could only blink his eyes as he took a sip from his soda. He won’t lie, he was kind of excited. The teenage Toppat only gave him a wider grin before slipping the bag right off of the object. It thunks down onto the pillows softly, clearly something heavy and Dave squints at it to try and get a better look of it in the dark.

It was a black 3D hexagonal object that was held up on a stand, looking as though it was able to rotate if given the chance. When Dave carefully touches it, he realizes there was a screen covering the hexagonal part of the object but it didn’t bring him any closer to figuring out what the heck he was looking at. Hat had picked up a plug that was connected to the object, giving him one more enthusiastic grin as she left the cell in search of a socket. He waited patiently and it didn’t take long for Hat to yell out a triumphant “aha!” as she plugged the device in.

And what happened next made Dave’s jaw drop.

The object’s screens lit up but not in the typical way a lamp would brighten up a room. But rather the device had washed the room with a gentle, purple glow and bright white dots that Dave recognized as a _sea of stars._ The stars were obviously artificial, but to a guy that had been locked up in a cell with no outside windows for who knows how long, Dave was completely mesmerized. His eyes were already starting to wander over the dots, attempting to connect them to try and form shapes between them as Hat walked in, her grin still plastered on her face.

“Ta-dah!” Hat said, extending her arms in a way of showing off a grand prize. “I saw it during my heist earlier today. It’s a planetarium of sorts, except you can plug it in your own home! Cool, right? I can even change the settings with the remote I have here so we can look at different constellations instead of just a random array of stars.” She waves the remote around as she walks over to Dave, who had brought his attention back over to his friend. Hat quietly bounced on her heels, silent for a brief moment as her eyes dart between Dave and the planetarium. “I...I can’t let out of your cell cause, you know, you’re our prisoner and all. So I couldn’t bring you to the cockpit to look at the stars with my telescope. But I still wanted you to see the stars! And with the planetarium, you can technically stargaze as much as you want! As, uh, long as we don’t get caught.” She pauses for a brief moment, looking like she was about to bite her bottom lip. “...Do you like it?”

Dave took a moment to stare at her for a bit before turning his gaze to the ceiling, which was bathed in cute, bright little stars.

It was sad, honestly. Despite his friend clearly wanting to cheer him up by giving him such a kind (but very much stolen) gift to accommodate his current predicament, he was still prevented from leaving his cell. All because Hat just couldn’t bring herself to let him out of there because she was loyal to the Toppat Clan first and foremost. A criminal organization that has put her through the wringer for their own gains and kept corroding Dave’s mental health the longer he was kept here. A Clan that was cruel enough to disregard innocent people’s lives, in more ways than one.

(It made a darker, _desperate_ part of himself that he didn’t even know existed whisper in his ear, telling him that if he just ran out of his cell now, he won’t have to come back. That he has the opportunity to escape with his cell door wide open and if he could just find an escape pod, he can say goodbye to this damn airship. He just had to get past the Toppat before him, who was still standing there, oblivious to his thoughts. He just had to run out, maybe lock her in if she dared try to stop him. And if he had to use force, then-)

Hat, who was still waiting for his answer, gave him an awkward but kind smile and he could feel the shame crushing his heart in response.

Hat may have been indoctrinated into the Toppat Clan at a young age but she was still a very kind kid. She went out of her way to talk to Dave and spend as much time with him. She gave him candy, crayons and paper and puzzles to spend time on. She gave him a listening ear whenever he felt troubled. She even went out of her way to fight a Toppat that got too rough on him that one time, even though he never asked her to do that. He couldn’t ask her to because he knew she would get hurt - and he was right, but the proud grin on her face told him that she didn’t care as long Dave was alright. No matter how loyal Hat was to the Clan, she clearly cared about him on a deep level.

But Dave also knew that it wasn’t just a criminal organization to Hat. The Toppat Clan had taken her in as _family._ Hat spoke highly of them, of how much joy she experienced spending time with them, playing with them in her own mischievous ways and knowing that she _wasn’t alone_ , to an extent. There were times when Hat felt safe with them, that she genuinely felt cared for in the Clan. It was practically endearing to watch her gush about her family, something she openly admitted to never having before. It hurt his heart to know that Hat had been alone for a very long time, way before she ever met the Toppats.

The Toppat Clan was far from perfect, of course. (Just looking at the way they treated Dave was a prime example.) Hat never exactly said it out loud, but he could tell that she seemed to have some... _issues_ with the Clan. There were times when she would visit him and express frustration towards her fellow members, seemingly wanting nothing to do with them for their awful behavior. And Dave found himself agreeing every now and then, especially when it comes to a few Toppats he had bad experience with. Hat clearly wanted something else and yet there seemed to be some sort of...pressure on her shoulders. Like she wanted to say more, talk about the bad things she has seen while staying with the Toppats but always ended up clamming up in the end. It was something that always came off as odd to Dave, especially since Hat had always been frank and honest with her opinions ever since they first met.

Dave never pried since he wanted to respect her privacy and he can assume pretty easily that what she saw while working for the Toppat Clan wasn’t...well, _good_. But he also wanted Hat to open up to him, just a little bit. To know that she could always rely on him, even if Dave can only lend an ear to her troubles.

He cared about her as deeply as Hat cared about him. But despite the Toppat Clan’s... _flaws_ , it was clear that Hat cared about her family as well. Hat cared about both Dave _and_ the Clan, carefully balancing on a thin tightrope in an attempt to make both sides happy. And Dave...

Dave couldn’t do that to her. Dave couldn’t force Hat to choose between him or the Clan. He values their friendship but he also recognized that Hat loved her family so much that she can’t bring herself to betray their trust. And he knew how important family can be to someone.

And Dave didn’t want to betray her trust by taking advantage of her kindness either.

So he simply turned his head towards Hat and smiled at her, burying his dark thoughts of betrayal as far as he could.

“I love it, Hat.” Dave said softly, leaning against the wall. “What kind of constellations can we see?” Hat grins again, but this time it was a little softer than usual. She sits down beside him, wrapping herself up in her own blanket.

“ _Well,_ there’s this neat little constellation of Orion that Sven won’t stop talking about…” Hat starts and Dave listens, watching as she pressed a button and the projection changes to a different and more specific set of stars. Ones that he vaguely recognized but can’t recall entirely but he pushed those thoughts away and focused on Hat’s voice. As he listened to her ramble about the stars and how vast and open space was, Dave felt her lean against his side and he glanced down at her. Hat was still talking in her usual animated way, but it felt a little different now. Taking a sip of his soda, he nudges Hat to let her know that he wanted to speak. She stops her ramble that was slowly turning into a rant about Artemis having zero interest in anybody _period._

“Thanks. For, uh...hanging out with me.” Dave said, staring at his soda can as he tried not to fidget. He hasn’t had any human contact in a long time, especially with the door usually separating him from Hat. She tilts her head at the sudden sentiment as the ex-security guard awkwardly looks away. “It means a lot to me, considering everything that’s happened and, um... _I just wish these moments would last forever, you know?_ _”_ His voice drops to a whisper, not really wanting to go into further details. He just...hoped his message was clear, that he really cherished their time together no matter how short it was.

It was silent between them with the planetarium slowly spinning it’s projection around the cell. He almost wondered if he had made it awkwardly sappy, an apology on the tip of his tongue. But then Dave felt Hat lean against his arm heavily and he looked down. He couldn’t see her face, not from this angle, but he could tell that Hat’s usual energetic flair was gone. It was replaced with something quieter, much more... _vulnerable_ than he’s come to expect from the confident and self-sufficient Hat.

“... _Me too._ ” Hat’s voice was softer, quieter and she gripped his sleeve tightly, as if she was expecting him to disappear from her grasp one day if she didn’t hold on. And for a moment, Dave wondered if Hat had been relying on him too, to escape from her own troubles no matter how brief it was. 

It only reminded him that Hat was still a young teenager with nowhere else to go and dealing with so much at such a young age. Losing her spaceship, her very own _home_ and ending up with the Toppat Clan that both loved her for who she is and burdened her with suffering that she probably won’t ever forget.

So Dave wrapped his arm around Hat, pulling his blanket over her tiny body. It was then that Hat smiled at him and changed the constellation to something else, going on and on about it. But this time her voice remained softer, relaxing even as she went on and on. And Dave listened, feeling quiet and content.

It will all be gone in the morning, he knew. Dave knew it because there couldn’t be any evidence left of their little hang out. They were already on thin ice when Hat had fought the Toppat that got rough with him for his sake and neither of them wanted to even _think_ about the Clan possibly separating them due to the many risk factors of their close friendship. Especially with the door wide open for him to walk out of. He’ll have to say goodbye to the soft pillows he sat on, the fluffy blanket that covered his shoulders and the warm body of Hat leaning against his side. He probably won’t get to see the planetarium, the _gift_ Hat had gone out of her way to get for him for a good long while either, assuming they ever get to do this again.

But right now…

Right now, both Dave and Hat were in their own little world, forgetting their life as a Toppat and as a prisoner. Right now, they were simply two friends stargazing indoors, eating snacks and drinking soda way past midnight as they talked and laughed about mundane, silly little things.

It couldn’t last forever, but it was all they ever wanted.

**Author's Note:**

> Heheh, I'm very proud of this one. I just think they'd get along, you know? And there's sooo much potential for their friendship. *Rubs hands together* I got so many ideas for them.
> 
> (I don't know how planetariums work but I also just wanted them to stargaze indoors and went, "fuck it, it's fanfiction, it'll be fiiine.")
> 
> Parts of this fic were inspired by [From Guard to Prisoner](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26395519) by [VenomQuill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VenomQuill/pseuds/VenomQuill)! You should check it out, it's really good and it's another Dave Panpa fic. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this fic! If you have any comments or criticisms about my writing or about the fic, please don't hesitate to comment down below. Have a nice day!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Promise](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29280219) by [saltwatersweets](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltwatersweets/pseuds/saltwatersweets)




End file.
